Mike Santana Claims He Asked For AEW Release Multiple Times Before It Was Granted

Mike Santana’s All Elite Wrestling exit in 2024 was inevitable, with the former Inner Circle member having been used sparingly by the promotion in the preceding two years.

Santana re-joined TNA Wrestling at Rebellion in April 2024 and has established himself as part of the main event scene in the promotion - a far cry from the latter days of his AEW run. Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, Santana revealed his mindset around his AEW exit:

“I’m the type of person where I need constant growth in my life. Especially in this line of work - any line of work, if we’re not growing, what are we doing? Ultimately, that was the case. A lot of unhappiness, a lot of things that I wasn’t about. Ultimately, business is business. I’m a brand the same way they are a brand, I was like, ‘I need to take care of my brand and I need to continue growing.’ This wrestling thing is my life. I dedicated everything to this. I’m also not the type of person that I can sit and collect a paycheque. That’s not me. Never has been. It was about that time. There was no heat or hard feelings, it is what it is. That’s the wrestling business; people come and people go. I looked at it as I need to do what’s best for me, my career, my life, and my sanity. I did exactly that. Was I worried? Was there fear and stuff? Of course. I’m leaving a guaranteed paycheque of a lot of money. I have a family, but me having done the work on myself, I knew the work I was willing to put in to get to where I wanted to be. I’m in the main event at UBS,” Santana said.

Asked if AEW made an attempt to keep him, Santana replied:

“I asked for my release multiple times. When I came back. I had the sort feud and match with my ex-partner [Ortiz]. After that, they stopped bringing me to TV. ‘Yo, just get me out of here. I’m good.’ I asked two or three times and finally they granted me my release and I was like, ‘Thank you.’”

Santana is set to face TNA World Champion Trick Williams and Joe Hendry at TNA Slammiversary on July 20.

H/T: Fightful

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